California to shield arrested illegal immigrants from the feds

October 7, 2013

Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law Saturday that bars California law enforcement officers from turning over arrested illegal immigrants to federal immigration officials. [Mercury News]

AB 4, authored by San Francisco Democrat Tom Ammiano, prohibits placing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holds on most jail inmates who are otherwise eligible for release.

Brown said the new law “protects public safety and yet also protects immigrants who are basically living upright lives and working hard for the people.”

Also known as the Trust Act, AB 4 does not shield immigrants charged or convicted of serious and violent felonies. Crimes that law enforcement officers can still report to ICE include child abuse, drug trafficking, weapons sales, aggravated federal felonies, gang-related felonies and using children to sell drugs.

Last year, Brown vetoed the bill. But, he decided to support it after the legislature added the exemption for serious and violent felonies.

Opponents of the new law say it still compromises public safety.

“Californians, regardless of their immigration status, are now left unprotected from deportable criminal aliens,” said Kristin Williamson of the Federation for American Immigration Reform. “ICE agents will be forced into unnecessarily dangerous situations trying to track down illegal aliens who were safely in the custody of state and local law enforcement.”

Last week, Brown signed a bill into law allowing the California Department of Motor Vehicles to issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

31 Comments

“California to shield arrested illegal immigrants from the feds”
Are you kidding? The Feds don’t want them…unless they will buy an semi automatic rifle and take it to Mexico and commit a crime… OK send me those thumb downs fast and furiously…

If these useless elected servents keep this up the only thing will be that in a couple more years we can claim minority status, and start screaming about our rights, cause tight now its clear they don’t care about our rights.

EURIKA! This ought to be better than 1849. They’ll come from far and wide….Manifest Destiny.
This state is your state, this state is my state, whether you’re here illegally, you’ll be protected,… this state is here for you and me.

Well… when you invade a country and steal half their land, don’t be surprised when their population growth floods back across your new border at some point. Keep in mind that mestizos are part native American, which kinda means they were here first and we were the uninvited people moving on in around the time you mention.